To Be Or Not To Be...

... a Californian.

There have been many life changes these past few years.  The upheaval of relationships lost can be all consuming.

The need and desire to start again - and the energy and trust that it takes to do that - is also consuming.

It makes one wonder how that much 'consumption' is humanly possible.
 

We all have challenges in life and handle them the best way we know how.  I chose to move 2000 miles away from my Minnesota home of nearly 35 years.

I miss Minnesota - especially my son and friends - and the familiarity of it all.

I'm trying to figure out if I was needing a change of scene, was running away, or craving a new venue to try and start anew. 
  

Putting all the uncertainty aside - I can only believe that it was right for me to venture out as I did - because it's what needed to happen at the time.

All the questions and second-guessing came to fruition when I got my new job.  Having an 'official' address and 'official' employment - the powers-that-be told me I needed to register as an 'official' Californian.

So - with smog check "Pass" documentation in hand -  I went to the local DMV.

From my experience - these places seem to be the same in every city on the planet - an interesting hodgepodge of humanity.

It was 2 1/2 hours of waiting in lines...







...getting my car inspected
...renewing the registration
...paying the fees
...updating the title
...paying the fees
...getting new CA plates
...paying the fees
...removing my MN plates
...renewing my driver's license (including the unexpected written test)
...paying the fees
...and finally - attaching the CA plates before being legal to drive away.

But - I was missing my MN identity.

I could no longer make a stupid driving move and have people write it off to me being an out-of-state driver.
I would be expected to make rolling stops at all stop signs.
I would have to get timely car washes.
I would have to refrain from wanting to 'nudge' rude pedestrians.
I would be expected to drive with a Californian mentality.  Eek!

So my new friend at the swap meet made this license plate frame for me....


....it feels better having a smidgen of my MN identity back.